Baller 21

Checking Back In

by Chris Harvey on 03/11/09

Hello People. It’s been a busy couple of weeks to say the least.

If you haven’t heard already (via following me on Twitter or Facebook), I took an unexpected trip out to California to be with my dad and family.

I get a text last Monday from my sister informing me that my dad is going in early for a scheduled angiogram procedure. Worst case scenario, he would get a stint put in to help the flow of blood in one region of his heart.

Well, the procedure was performed and then it was determined that a stint was not going to work, as previously thought, and more was needed.

He needed a bypass surgery.

So now I’m booking the next possible flight out. After arriving from the airport to the hospital, I was then informed that the surgery went well, but it wasn’t a single bypass. It was a quadruple bypass.

Needless to say, this was more serious.

Thankfully, my dad began to show signs of recovery and no complications each day. He was out of ICU early and was allowed to leave the hospital earlier than expected as well.

In the waiting room, on the first couple of days, I was reminded of how fortunate my dad and family was, and how fragile, how temporary, and how precious life is.

Other families didn’t have such great news about the their loved ones. Some families had their mom still in ICU with complications. A kind, elderly gentleman had his wife in ICU for over a week and was trying to stay positive even when the doctors came out a one point and said: “I don’t know how she made it.”

This same gentleman told me his story and said: “You don’t know how fragile life is and how much you love someone until you realize you can lose them.”

This experience has been a wake up call for many people and in many different ways.

I was reminded to not take anything for granted, to love more, and to live my life to the fullest.

“Only one life, it will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last…”

Love you dad. Glad you’re doing well.

C.Harv